The Incredible Hulk Returns is a 1988 made-for-television film sequel to the 1970s Incredible Hulk television series. In the late 1980s, television movies which reunited the casts of older TV shows were big business. Nostalgic viewers tuned in to see new stories about characters they had followed years earlier. In 1988, The Incredible Hulk became another series that reformed as part of a reunion movie when The Incredible Hulk Returns roared onto NBC as a TV movie of the week. NBC viewed the Hulk as a great vehicle for spinning off television series which featured other Marvel comics characters. This film featured the Hulk's fellow Avenger, Thor, and rocketed into the top five of the ratings that week. The movie garnered the fifth highest rating spot out of all programs aired that week. NBC, encouraged by the high ratings, signed a deal with Marvel Comics to produce more Hulk movies featuring other Marvel comic characters.

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Now settled, working for a research institute, David has been able to prevent his transformation from occurring for over seven years. He is very near to completing a machine which will cure him, and is involved in a serious relationship. This is spoiled by the arrival of Donald Blake, a former student of his with an "affliction" of his own: an alter ego that happens to be Thor (a Marvel Comics character). Blake calls upon Thor to appear in order to prove the validity of his story. The Viking god causes David to transform and a battle between the Hulk and Thor leaves David's lab severely damaged. The Incredible Hulk once again begins to make appearances when corruption within the institute prompts a crime organization to steal his invention. With the creature's reappearance, David once again is forced to go on the run.

This is the only entry in the universe of the TV Incredible Hulk that acknowledges the supernatural. However, in this version, Thor is not the thunder god of Norse Mythology. He is just a namesake ordinary warrior from the Viking past, albeit still under an Odin-curse for his arrogance. He is depicted more as a servant of Blake's (unwilling of course).

Unlike the comics, Blake, himself, does not transform into Thor, but rather summons him as with a genie.